VVS Laxman, the former Indian batter and current head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), is set to take on the role of interim head coach for India’s T20I series against South Africa. This four-match series will start on November 8, with Suryakumar Yadav leading the team. A BCCI official confirmed to Cricbuzz that Laxman will step in as interim head coach because Gautam Gambhir and his coaching staff will travel with the Indian Test squad to Australia. They will prepare for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which starts soon after the T20I series.
Laxman has previously stepped in as India’s head coach when regular coach Rahul Dravid was occupied with other tours, showcasing his adaptability in managing national responsibilities. Alongside Laxman, the coaching group will include NCA-affiliated coaches Sairaj Bahutule, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Subhadeep Ghosh, ensuring a cohesive support structure for the players.
India’s tight schedule prompted this temporary coaching arrangement, with the Test team set to depart for Australia on November 10 or 11, overlapping with the South Africa T20Is. This overlap has led BCCI to rely on NCA’s expertise for the T20I coaching responsibilities.
The T20I squad for South Africa includes some fresh faces, with Ramandeep Singh and Vijaykumar Vyshak receiving maiden India call-ups. Other players have retained their spots following strong performances in the recent T20I series against Bangladesh. With this squad, Suryakumar Yadav aims to extend India’s winning momentum as they prepare to compete abroad.
India’s T20I Squad vs South Africa:
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.
